axe
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also Axe
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
Old English æx
Pronunciation [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
Noun [edit]
- A tool for felling trees or chopping wood etc. consisting of a heavy head flattened to a blade on one side, and a handle attached to it.
- An ancient weapon consisting of a head that has one or two blades and a long handle.
- (informal) A dismissal or rejection.
- His girlfriend/boss/schoolmaster gave him the axe.
- 1975, Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in Blue
- I had a job in the great North Woods
- Workin' as a cook for a spell.
- But I never did like it all that much
- And one day the axe just fell.
- (slang, music) A gigging musician's particular instrument, especially a guitar in rock music or a saxophone in jazz.
- (finance) A directional position or interest, by a dealer in a financial market – if one wishes to unload stock, one is “axed to sell” or “has an axe”.[1] Derived from “have an axe to grind”, which is also used.
Usage Note [edit]
In the United States, this spelling is often used to distinguish the weapon from the tool.
Synonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
tool
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an ancient weapon
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rejection
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Translations to be checked
See also [edit]
Verb [edit]
axe (third-person singular simple present axes, present participle axing, simple past and past participle axed)
- (transitive) To fell or chop with an axe.
- (transitive) To terminate or reduce tremendously in a rough or ruthless manner.
- The government announced its plans to axe public spending.
- The broadcaster axed the series because far less people than expected watched it.
- (transitive) To lay off: to terminate a person's employment
- He got axed in the last round of firings.
Synonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
fell or chop
terminate or reduce tremendously in a rough or ruthless manner
Etymology 2 [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
- ax (US)
Noun [edit]
axe (plural axes)
Verb [edit]
axe (third-person singular simple present axes, present participle axing, simple past and past participle axed)
- To furnish with an axle.
Etymology 3 [edit]
Verb [edit]
axe (third-person singular simple present axes, present participle axing, simple past and past participle axed)
- (obsolete or dialectal) Alternative form of ask.
- 1395, John Wycliffe, trans. Bible, 1 Corinthis 14:35:
- But if thei wolen ony thing lerne, at home axe thei her hosebondis; for it is foule thing to a womman to speke in chirche.
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Luke IIi:
- And the people axed hym, sayinge: What shall we do then.
- 1395, John Wycliffe, trans. Bible, 1 Corinthis 14:35:
References [edit]
- ^ Shedding the correlation ‘axe’, Risk magazine
French [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Latin axis.
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
axe m (plural axes)
Interlingua [edit]
Noun [edit]
axe (plural axes)
- Straight line that crosses the center of a body and around which it turns.
- Bar connecting parallel wheels of a kart, wagon, etc.
Latin [edit]
Noun [edit]
axe
- ablative singular of axis
Categories:
- English terms derived from Old English
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English informal terms
- English slang
- en:Music
- en:Finance
- English verbs
- English archaic terms
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English dialectal terms
- English alternative forms
- English terms with multiple etymologies
- en:Tools
- French terms derived from Latin
- French nouns
- French masculine nouns
- French countable nouns
- Interlingua nouns
- Latin noun forms
